Punahou Bulletin

“When Home is Far Away” contains 13 original tracks composed in Hawai’i or New York and beautifully evocative of home–or the way we feel when we’re not there.

While most of the tracks exude a reflective, sometimes poignant tone, “Sunshine” bounces along in drunken happiness and “Ka’a Slack” playfully depicts a car ride thwarted by a traffic jam, replete with honking horns.

Closing out the album, “Goodnight” paints an image of darkness falling and the stars glowing overhead.

Leong’s love of guitar took root during his days in the Academy at Punahou. But his interest truly blossomed at Punahou Carnival when he arranged for some well-known local artists to perform. Among them was “Hapa,” featuring lead guitarist Barry Flanagan, who later agreed to give Leong a lesson. The mentorship kicked off Leong’s intense devotion to the guitar.